Island



2 Sh eats-Sheet 1.

G. K. WINCHESTER.

BRAIDING MACHINE.

No. 81,061. Patented Jan. 1. 1861.

57 we 7122 7'- 7475mm.-

- ways one way, the braiding of such bands a serpentine passage or seat a, which receives and guides the flat portions or guide pieces UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

G. K. WINCHESTER, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO NEIV ENGLAND BUTT COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BRAIDI'NG-MACI-IINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 31,061, dated January 1, 1861.

To all whom it may concern: I Be it known that I, GILMAN K. WVIN- CHESTER, of Providence, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Braiding-Hachines, and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear, andexact description of the same, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a plan or top view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional front elevation of the same.

Similar letters of reference in both views indicate corresponding parts.

In braiding flat bands containing an even number of strands by an ordinary braiding machine each strand receives a twist each time it traverses the table and if it is desired to keep the sides of the strands facing almust be done by hand.

The object of this invention is to arrange a braiding machine with an even number of carriers in such a manner that the twist is taken out of each strand by giving to each carrier two or more partial revolutions on two or more points on its circumition on the table which forms the support and guide for said carriers, thereby keeping the sides of each strand always facing in the same direction.

To enable those skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation with reference to the drawing.

The table A which forms the guide and support forthe carriers B is perforated with b of the carriers. Said carriers are retained in their upright position by flanges 0 which overlap the passage a above and below the table A, and pins (Z projecting from the centers of the lower flanges extend between the carrying hooks e which are attached to the upper surfaces of the cog wheels 0, C, C. These cog wheels rotate on vertical. posts 7" which support those portions Z, Z, Z of the table A which are separated from the main body of said table by the passage a. Said posts are secured in a skeleton plate D which is supported by suitable legs and" which by means of columns F supports the main body of the table A.

A rotary motion is imparted to the cog wheel C by means of a gear wheel G that is secured to the vertical driving shaft- H and this wheel gears into the cog-wheel G, which in. its turn gears into the wheel C, and so forth. The cog wheels C, C, C, may be of the same size and they are one less in number than the carriers. The carriers are of the ordinary construction, being furnished with bobbins I, from which the strands are drawn through the standards g, and sliding drop-weights h serve to keep the strands taut.

In following the motion of one of the carriers from one end of the table A to the other, it will be noticed that the strand emanating from said carrier is twisted half way around and in orderto take out this twist I have arranged on each end of the table and in the passage aa spring hook J, which catches over the end of the guide piece Z) of each successive carrier and causes it to make half a revolution. To allow the carrier to swing around without obstruction, the pas-' sage a. is enlarged just opposite the hooks J, recesses 7' being made into the circular portions Z Z of the table as plainly shown in Fig. 1 in the drawing.

The hooks J are attached to the table A by means of pivots j, and springs K, which are secured to the under surface of the table cause said hooks to place themselves across the passage a as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and to resume this position after the carriers as they come successively in contact with said hooks, have passed through between them and the portions Z, Z of the table. It is obvious however that instead of the spring hooks J other devices might be employed, which will accomplish the same object, and I really have, during my experiments with this machine used other devices such as pinions attached to the carriers and meshing into short curved racks attached to the table at suitable points, but I prefer the hooks because they are easily attached and their operation is perfectly reliable. These hooks ought to be lnade of such a width, that, if by carelessness or by mistake the machine is turned in the wrong direction, the carriers are not allowed to pass into the gaps between the backs of the hooks and the main body of thetable. The spring hooks may also be so arranged that they act simultaneously on both ends of the table, whereby the operation of my machine will be rendered more uniform and less noisy than it is with the hooks ar ranged 'so that one is brought into action before the other.

It is obvious that this-improvement is applicable to braiding machines with any even number of strands, and it may be desirable in some cases, to give to each carrier a frac tional part of a revolution in more than two places for instance one third of a revolution in three or one fourth of a revolution in four places during the time it traverses the slot or passage a. As a general thing however it will be sutficient to give to each carrier half a revolution at each end of the table. I

By this arrangement I am enabled to produce with the braiding machine, bands from an even number of strands having silk or some other costly material on one and cotton or some other cheap material on the other side in such a manner that the band when finished shows the silk or other. costly material on one, and the cotton or other cheap material on the other side. The braiding of such bands, which heretofore could be accomplished only by hand, is done by my machine just as regularly and with the same facility as the braiding of bands with an odd number of strands can be done on machines of the ordinary construction.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. The arrangement of the spring hooks J, in combination with theslotted table A and with the carriers B, constructed and operating substantially as and for the purposes set forth. v

2. Giving to each carrier of an even strand braiding machine two or more partial revolutions at two or more successive points of its circumition on the table, sub stantially as and for the purpose described.

GILMAN K. WINCHESTER.

\Vitnesses LYMAN H. EDDY, N. A. FENNER. 

